Escaping to the Eastern Shore of Virginia

in GEMS3 years ago (edited)


The beauty of dawn
Lay before
Me
Colliding into a new day


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I left my home in the Washington, DC Metro area to visit my house on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, stopping off in Virginia Beach-ish to watch the sun come up. It was in the shadows of darkness that I left, but, I knew I would be bringing the sun into my day. A priority I don't want to miss the opportunity to welcome it in. The shore is on a peninsula and can only be reached by one of three bridges. I went south from my house, so I entered the shore by going over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It is really only $14.00 to cross, I was towing a small trailer in the back, so it cost a bit more. I like going this way, it is not too busy, because who wants to pay that much for a toll?


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Although this piece of land is classified geographically as a peninsula, it is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay and made up of parts of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, but in all respects, the Eastern Shore is an island, anchored by a few bridges. If you keep riding due North, you will come upon Maryland, then Delaware, then Maryland again. They actually call the entire strip the Delmarva Peninsula. If you are going to Virginia, you say you are going to the Eastern Shore. I just say I am going to the Shore House.


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The Eastern Shore of Virginia is well known for its unspoiled beauty and abundant wildlife. As far as developing it, the natives have blocked the growth of chain restaurants, resorts, and souvenir shops. There is one Walmart that went up for the entire 70-mile stretch and that was under duress. I freely admit it was one of the reasons I bought out there. Peaceful. Very.


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Working the water is a way of life here. Surrounded on three sides by water, it only makes sense that their history would be tied to it. It is not considered easy work, but, many have been born into it, it is in their blood. In actuality, the Shore is made of two very different industries: fishing and farming. They have opened up a Waterman's Museum in Onancock, a beautiful little town in Accomac County. The preservation of history allows people to take a look back, remember and celebrate their ancestors.


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The Tidewater Region of Virginia is also called the Coastal Plain Region. It received its name because the major rivers that flow through the region rise and fall with the tide from the ocean. Tidewater is the easternmost region of Virginia. It includes the land along the Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore. It is located west of the Atlantic Ocean. The Tidewater Region produces many different products, or items produced to sell. The location near the water has provided a rich layer of soil, making the region a top producer of peanuts, cotton, and soybeans. The Atlantic Ocean also makes the Tidewater Region a top seafood producer. The region's location near water also affects many different industries including shipbuilding, fishing/seafood, military bases, and tourism. source


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Raise your hand if you want crabs? What? Blue crabs! You don't know what you are missing. They have a sweet, delicate flavor and are delicious dipped in a little butter and lemon... or nothing. They are always in demand and happen to be a little scarce this year. I personally drop my own traps. There is no magic to crabbing. You just don't want to leave the traps in for more than six or seven hours. When the little captors run out of bait, they will turn on each other. When that happens, you might be left with the winning lone crab.


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Blue Crabs remain an important part of the Eastern Shore's economy. The blue crabs mate from May to October. Once mature, the female will mate with a male one time. Males are a little more promiscuous. Once they mate, an egg develops and can contain 2 million eggs. She releases the eggs into the ocean where eventually they make their way back to the salt marshes to reproduce their own.


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Many of the homes in this coastal area desired shakes and shingles for their beauty and durability to withstand the coastal winds, weather patterns, and salty air. Cedar shakes and shingles have been a mainstay for coastal homes for centuries.


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The Chincoteague Ponies are a breed of horse that developed and lives in a feral condition on Assateague Island in two separate herds, one in Virginia and the other in Maryland. this is because the island is in both these States. They were made famous by the Misty of Chincoteague series, a novel written by Marguerite Henry in 1947. They live on a diet of salt marsh plants and brush and if you spot them roaming the beaches on the island, you can see they have a little belly on them from the salt content of their food. There is a pony auction every year, to keep the herd to a manageable number.


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All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.

It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.


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It is a wonderful existence out there and I go as often as I can, or to mow the lawn. Whichever comes first. A while back, after going to the auction for years, we bid on a horse and won. We are now proud owners of a beautiful Chincoteague Pony.

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I remember reading the Misty of Chincoteague series in 4th grade, and I still recommend them to younger library patrons who are ready to step up from picture books.

That's so cool!! I recommend it to kids also. As an aside, during Pony Penning week on Chincoteague Island, they play the movie all day for free at the local theater. I always watch it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Such cool photos! I have to say the nautical ones are my favorites. I find piers or pilings very interesting, especially with a little bit of boats on show too!

Nautical is also one of my favorites too. I can almost smell the salt in the pictures. The boat/ships never hurt the image.

Exactly!!!! See we are always on the same page!!! 😄

Hiya, @ybanezkim26 here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #1288.

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Thank you so much for the notification in the mention! Very much appreciated!

"All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand."

Denise, do you want to fool us? You also have a house by the sea, the ocean. This is not a small thing at all, I'm surprised you don't live there longer. All my life I wanted a house by the sea, I made many plans but no action. Too late I found out that I could have done this, if the desire had been greater and the action premeditated and prepared. I can only rejoice for you!
A very pleasant post, I read it with pleasure and I wondered what the taste of crabs is. I only ate crayfish, more in my childhood when I fished them myself, I really liked them.

Denise, do you want to fool us? You also have a house by the sea, the ocean.

I was trying to understand what you meant? "All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand." If you are thinking I was making up a story, I can only say that I use that as a sort of by-line. I end almost every post with it, but, I can see that it may mean that I dreaming up the words?

I do have a house on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I bought it 11 years ago when the market fell flat on its face and many people were getting rid of property they hadn't used in years. I wasn't living in the area, but, knew I would be coming this way, so I visited and made the purchase. It is only the market was so broken that afforded me the house in this area.

It has never been something I hide, although, it is not something I brag about either. This post is just what I feel like as I make my way there, and it is with regularity that I go as it is a house and has needs. :) Even if it is only to live in. That and my kids love going there.

Crayfish and crabs are both crustaceans, but, crayfish taste more like lobster than crab. Both have sweet meat, in my opinion. It is just crabs are plentiful out there, as is most seafood. They work the water out there.

I hope this answers your question, but, if it didn't, feel free to ask me whatever. Have a great day, Dan! @bluemoon

That is a beautiful life style am proud of you and would have been hard work getting to that life style well deserved, I presume. I really enjoyed that journey with you so peaceful and beautiful exactly what, I love doing and those Blue Crabs, I have never eaten so many crabs since living in Thailand so cheap if I were in Australia, I would have to save up for one month before, I could eat one blue crab :)

Well, I admit that I took advantage of the crashing housing market a few times. I bought my first house in my 20's with minimum money down, but, bought the cheapest house in the best neighborhood that I could afford and put sweat equity in it. (my dad and brothers did magic with it) The market went up and less than two years later, sold for a great profit, and the rest is history.

Just so you know. Patience and timing.

It is peaceful out there, one of the reasons I love it. Because it is easy to catch crabs, we throw our own traps in or a line and bait it. We use chicken wings or necks and sometimes fish scraps if we are fishing... it is all part of the day. :) Then you can take your catch home and feast on them! Cheap and easy! And it doesn't take long. They are people pleasers. Throw them some bait and they will come.

Because of its location, there are plenty of people that work the water for a living also. Farming and Fishing. Thanks for stopping by!

Sometimes it all comes down to the right timing and location well done, I had the same opportunity in Australia when the market dropped and now own a beautiful one bedroom apartment close to the city and has doubled in price :)

You seem to have this crab fishing down to a pattern enjoy eating them, I certainly do here in Thailand amongst many other cheap yummy seafood :)

Isnt that great?? Its true! Most everything bought in that market has more than doubled.

I'm always grateful I took the plunge. :))

Always the right plunge to make hardly even goes wrong :)

Privilege to visit places like this, stay to enjoy the quiet life which is never quiet at all, catching crabs, attending pony auctions to go home with one, life is abundant.

So glad the local inhabitants won over not allowing commercialization to creep in and take over.

Exquisite photography to follow through the region with you Denise, thanks for the map now I can enjoy exactly where this is.

!LUV

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@dswigle, you've been given LUV from @joanstewart.

Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (1/10)

Life is abundant, Joan @joanstewart and nobody feels it more than I do. I am always grateful for all that has been given to me and I thank God every day for it.

I rarely post about it as I hope it doesn't ever come across as not being grateful or to be bragging. It is hard to walk that line when you are trying to share.

I am glad there are no big commercial endeavors going on here, many local farmers' markets as farming and fishing are the way of life here. Thanks so much for the warm words, Joan! Have a wonderful day!

Being fortunate to enjoy places such as this, Oh yes I am slightly green with envy, but not to worry it is not contagious.

Loved reading about the ponies years ago, never knew exact region, now I do! Who knows perhaps another bucket list is needed, when big birds start flying once again and masks are but history...

Chill on the wind outdoors with snow predicted throughout the mountain ranges once again, got a homemade soup on the boil, so wishing you a warm sunshine day Denise.

It is such a wonderful place, Joan. I have to wonder, even after the 11 years that I have owned the house, it still remains very peaceful and has no industry. Farming and Fishing. Boom. That is it.

Oh, soup sounds delicious, Joan @joanstewart ! It was a warm sunshine day, and today is another to be interrupted later with a refreshing rain. That is the hope. :)

Be well and stay safe. ❤️

Thanks so much for sharing it :) I don't see any bragging, only a story about you doing what you love :)

Thank you. That is true, but, just reading it, people may think otherwise.

Why would they? That sounds a lot like jealousy!

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What a great trip! Why didn't you take me? I would even have covered the toll! All $21.00 of it!

You caught the sunrise at the right time. That must have been so peaceful to enjoy.

Oh!! If I had only known!!! I usually go the Northern Route over the Bay Bridge with the $2.50 toll, but wanted the sunrise from Virginia Beach. (it is the same distance either way!) I do love the view from the Bay Bridge too though... decisions, decisions... it is so peaceful down island there. Nothing but you and the sand, seagulls, and a few crabs. ;))

Ahhhh, you are on that vacation - niceeee
Blue crabs - they look like a cross between our mud-crabs and flower-crabs
I do love crabs and I remember setting out those baskets by the jetty when I was wee bit high. It was thing my brother and I loved doing and we did it like very late in the night... something about the crabs coming out then if my memory serves me right..

Have an amazing trip @dswigle <33

Yes! The crabs come out at night, or in the cover of darkness. Your memory serves you most excellently. I am not on vacation, just really a couple of days at my other house. It is only a few hours from where I live, but, a very different world.

Blue crabs have the sweetest meat! I have had mud crabs, they have a lot of meat and taste good, but, I have not eaten flower crabs, although I know they have them in Singapore. (probably other places, but, I haven't seen them)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a good night!

Such a beautiful area, enjoy your time there, I remember reading a pos tof yours about the auction each year such a cool event

Have a great day

Thanks, JJ! @tattoodjay You are very correct. I have done posts on the auctions and these years are said and done. It was online sadly, the crowds and COVID were just too much risk. I went a few days ago and am already back, sometimes I just go for the day or sometimes a few, depending on time.

It is a nice break and I enjoy it a lot. Plus, I have great neighbors over there too. When I do go, I stop by Chincoteague and grab some saltgrass for Henry (the Chincoteague Pony) and get him a treat. It is like dessert to him. :) That is actually North of me, but, if I go home to the North Bridge or the South Bridge, the distance is equal. Arrival time is within two minutes of each other. Ha! That makes the decision easier if there is DC traffic.

Have a great day!

That is great that you have options depending on the traffic and glad you had a good break even if a short one
I think doing hte auction online was very sensible as this time

It was. I sometimes make it a day trip but, having a few days is nice. My house out there misses me. :)

And I am sure you miss the house equally as much

i love the way how you're telling the story of your way to the shore house. that's very interesting details about the regular life in your country. very different. very.
I'm living just 30km from TelAviv and have to drive these 30 km every day to my workplace located in the center of the city. Some ppl say that I live in the far periphery 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.
Well, regularly it takes around an hour+ to drive these 30km. So daily 2 hours of traffic jams I'm trying to do something useful to do all this long way.
i love crabs. but only when they are already in my plate :-)

Living only 3 miles from the Pentagon (to give a reference point)when I first moved here, it took me over an hour to cover those miles. I moved further out and it takes me 55 minutes with traffic. So it was public transportation and now have time to spare, unless I drive, I don't dare post while driving! :)) It is all that we want for quality of life.

The shore house is great, but, it still needs to be kept up. So it is not all glorious, but, for the most part, it is. It has the ocean I grew up with, in a place that grows peace in its spare time and it is sparsely populated as there is no industry out there, mostly fishing and farming.

I love crabs and don't mind catching my own. Thanks for the visit and repost, Victor. I hope you had an amazing day. It should be almost time to join the rat race home again. :))

my pleasure Denise.
it was a very special post with all the small details of your regular life
"mostly fishing and farming" sounds especially good.
i'm finishing my workday just in one hour and going to my friend for a beer. he is living exactly in the middle of the way from TelAviv to my village. but the most important and wonderful part - today is the last day of the workweek - so my weekend will start in one hour with the beer :-)
hope that you have a good time in the shore house.
i also never use phone when i driving, only Waze and Spotify so i have no need to touch the phone..

Best of weekends to you! I hope you enjoyes the beer and company!

Stay safe always!

thank you ! was a nice evening at a friend's apartment.
but yesterday was a kinda crazy night in some not regular for me pub where my friend "The Great MAchine" band performed live. It was too strange to see them playing in some Jazz and soft music their super heavy rock'n'roll tunes. Anyway, people sit by the tables but very quickly learned from us that this is music for standing, digging and dancing :-)

Ha! Show them the way, Victor! @victorbz I am sure it felt out of place for a moment or three, but once you started grooving to the tunes, that was tossed out the window.

Sounds like a nice night! ;)

thank you Denise

Beautiful!!!
I love Blue Crabs... I can eat them the entire day, hehehe!
Wow!! How many horses do you have, @dswigle?
Your girls must love them.
Thank you for bringing us with you on your trip.
Mow the lawn??? Leave that for the hubby to do!

Blue crabs are my favorite! I love them while they are in season and freeze some for when they are not - just for the crab cakes! When we are out at the shore, we throw a few in and have a joyful feast that night.

We have three now and everyone in the family rides, although mostly English, with a side of Hillbilly in there. We get a lot of pleasure out of them. I am glad that you took a few minutes and came.

It was great having you!

A beautiful life, sweet @dswigle!!!😘😍

I appreciate every minute of it. I hope uou are having a great day!

So nice to go to a home in a completely different country. lovely change. I can see why you do this Denise, it is good for the soul. ❤️

It isn't too far, and many times I just go for a day or sometimes two. Right now a little bit more as it is hot here and the sea breeze is so much cooler and I have the time. :)

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your words. I hope you have a nice night!

Nice photography of eastern shore of Virginia.

Thank you! It truly is a beautiful part of the State of Virginia!

I appreciate you stopping by and leaving your words. Have a wonderful evening.

Wow! You have one of the beautiful Chincoteague Ponies! I’m always amazed at the many hats you can wear. :) That is a wonderful natural place you showed us, Denise. Thanks for sharing.

I’m always amazed at the many hats you can wear.

Anyone can bid on one. :) I never wear a hat! LOL Hi, Jo! Good morning to you. I do love it out there. It gives me peace that the city doesn't. But, I do love being close to it most days.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your words. xoxo

I remember snidely remarking on a hive transfer I sent you about spending it on a horse.

Chincoteague Pony

Seems you took my wise advice quite literally. 🤪

Yes, Snidely Whiplash! :) Little did you know I did! :)) See what you started?

I'll accept the blame.

Can I buy another? Don't worry, I can blame you! ;)

Authorised.

I think I like you!

Why thank you, that makes three people who do. 😂


Hey @dswigle, here is a little bit of BEER from @pixresteemer for you. Enjoy it!

Do you want to win SOME BEER together with your friends and draw the BEERKING.

Thanks for the beer!

Wich camera did you use for capturing these amazing shots.

amazing photo
!PIZZA

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@dswigle! I sent you a slice of $PIZZA on behalf of @naythan.

Learn more about $PIZZA Token at hive.pizza (6/10)

!LUV

Thanks for the LUV!

sure, when you will have 10 you can send it to your friends as well :-)

Sounds good! I have to go see how much LUV I possess! :)

omg 54
you can send 3 every day :-)

!LUV

You are my first! ;)

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@victorbz, you've been given LUV from @dswigle.

Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (1/3)

yeeeee !!!
10x a lot

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@dswigle, you've been given LUV from @victorbz.

Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (1/1)

Your pony looks wonderful :) I can see the love!!! You should definitely do a whole post about your friend!

Those crabs must be... Well, crabby! If they fight once they run out of food!

I have done quite a few posts on him. Every once in a while, I insert a picture or two also. :)

Oh, the crabs are abundant this year!

I'll have to read back sometime :) How do you manage to leave him and your wonderful home :) ?

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Bang, I did it again... I just rehived your post!
Week 69 of my contest just started...you can now check the winners of the previous week!
!BEER
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Thanks for the repost @pixresteemer !